Daily Inspiration: Meet Riki Shore

Today we’d like to introduce you to Riki Shore.

Hi Riki, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I first started practicing Pilates in a quest to end low back pain. At the time, my family was living in Scotland, and I began private lessons with an amazing teacher. I intended to take lessons for only six weeks, but I felt so great that I continued weekly private lessons for more than two years.

In fact, I like it so much that I decided to become a Pilates teacher myself! I completed a 450-hour training program in Classical Pilates at InsideOut Body Therapies that included a combo of teaching, observation, and practice performing the exercises. I loved it!

Prior to the pandemic, I taught at InsideOut, the Duke School, and the Downtown Durham YMCA. When the pandemic hit, I decided to branch out as an entrepreneur and started Pilates with Riki.

At first, I offered my classes and private sessions online only in an effort to keep everyone as safe from the virus as possible. Although it was isolating, I invested my energy and money in kitting out my home studio with the best equipment I could afford; working with a business coach to learn the ropes of solopreneurship, and training with master instructor Chris Robinson to level up my teaching skills. I opened my studio to clients in August 2021 for private sessions and duets, and it’s been fantastic!

As a teacher, I enjoy getting to know my clients and showing them the potential they have for strong, graceful movement and mind-body awareness. My favorite moments are when I see a horizon or goal for my clients that they can’t see for themselves – and I help them get there. It’s an amazing feeling to see their faces light up and watch them walk out of my studio with more confidence and self-esteem. (Yes, Pilates really does that!).

As a business owner, I enjoy connecting with other local businesses. I’ve partnered with Bull City Running to offer Pilates classes designed to support their runners’ training goals. As soon as it was safe to meet outdoors, I hosted a Coffee Happy Hour for my clients at Parker & Otis, where I loved showing off their new location. And this fall I launched a series of wellness workshops in collaboration with experts in fields such as nutrition, strength training, and more.

I look forward to continuing to grow my business, and to teaching group classes in person when it’s safe to do so!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
To be honest, figuring out how to earn enough to support myself teaching Pilates has been a challenge. The business side of running a studio isn’t typically covered in teacher training programs, so I had to figure that out for myself. I’ve been lucky to have the support of an amazing business coach who’s a Pilates instructor herself, and that’s helped me tremendously.

One other thing that I struggle with is the tendency of people to hone in on one activity. I see this in young athletes who commit to a sport, and the training is so grueling that there’s no time or encouragement to cross-train. The same is true for adults who love to do one activity so much that they don’t want to take the time or spend the money on another type of exercise.

The real gift of Pilates is that it teaches you to move more efficiently. When you finish a Pilates session, you should feel energized, confident, and full of possibilities. It’s these qualities that you can take back to whatever else you love to do in life – whether it’s playing golf, swimming, going for a run, gardening, or taking care of children and grandchildren. Pilates truly enables you to do life better!

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Like most fitness professionals, I love a good workout, and I enjoy challenging my clients and making them sweat. For this reason, I work well with people who are motivated to get stronger and live better. What sets me apart is that I tend to be a thinker.

My sessions go deeper than the workout – I want people to understand the purpose of each exercise, why I’m including it, what I want them to get out of it, and how it translates into their everyday lives. I also want people to have fun.

If you train with me, of course you’ll work hard, but you’ll also smile at your accomplishments and this sense of joy will carry you through the rest of your day.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I love to cook! I love to cook so much that I earned a certificate from the French Pastry School and worked in the restaurant industry for a few years. I really thought that would be my career.

But when my daughter was born, the hours were too challenging for me, and I decided to give it up. I still make three hot meals a day and I love to explore new recipes and flavors in my kitchen.

Contact Info:

• Email: riki.shore@gmail.com
• Website: https://www.pilateswithriki.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pilateswithriki/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pilateswithriki
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/rikishore